Shallow water breathing apparatus with air pump



United States Patent lnventor Wilbern M. Freeman 23 Rhyne Avenue, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27107 Appl. No. 762,809

Filed Sept. 26, 1968 Patented Aug. 25, 1970 SIIALLOW WATER BREATHING APPARATUS WITH AIR PUMP 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

U.S.Cl 128/145, 128/ 1 45.1

Int. Cl A62b 7/12 Field of Search 128/145,

References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 2,910,223 10/1959 Schlumbohm 230/127 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,473,382 2/1967 France 128/145 Primary Examiner- Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner John B. Mitchell Attorney-Cushman, Darby and Cushman ABSTRACT: The underwater breathing apparatus for shallow depths comprises a mouthpiece or a face mask provided with flexible air intake and exhaust lines secured to a flotation member which supports the free ends of the intake and exhaust lines above the surface of the water. The intake line is provided with a pair of impellers for increasing the flow of air in the intake line and a plurality of check valves which divide the intake line into separate chambers and prevent the back flow of air within the intake line.

Patented Aug. 25, 1970 3,525,335

- ,36 1 I'Vl SHALLOW WATER BREATHING APPARATUS WITH AIR PUMP BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to underwater breathing apparatus and more particularly to breathing apparatus for use at shallow depths which is provided with impellers toaugment the I supply of fresh air to the diver.

An object of the invention is to provide a shallowwater breathing apparatus which will allow a diver to descend deeper than ordinarily possible with conventional shallow water snorkel devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide an underwater breathing apparatus having the features discussed above which'is inexpensive to manufacture and which would require little or no maintenance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shallow water breathing apparatus with impellers for facilitating the flow of fresh air to the diver that has a drive means and power source housed completely within the unit. 1

A still further object of the invention is to provide an underwater breathing apparatus of the type discussed above which needs no air purification filter since the air will not pass through any mechanical device requiring lubrication.

Briefly, the invention comprises a face maskor mouthpiece provided with flexible air intake and exhaust lines which have free ends supported above the surface of the water by a flotation-member. The intake line is provided with a pair of impellers driven by a single electric motor having a power source such as a battery housed within the flotation member or a power source carried in a boat or similar means and con nected to the motor by a power line. The intake line has a first check valve means between the first impeller and the intake end of the line; a second check valve between the first and second impellers and a third check valve at the connection to the face mask or mouthpiece which divide the intake line into chambers and prevent the back flow of air within the line. The exhaust line can be provided with a check valve if desired. However, when the diver takes in air from the inlet line, the

pressurized air flowing in from the inlet line prevents a back flow of air from the exhaust line and assists in hausted air from the exhaust line.

Theabove objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG.. 1 is an elevational front view of the shallow water breathing apparatus partially in section to show the air pump assembly;

FlG. 2 is a section of the intake sleeve in the face mask showing a check valve mounted within the sleeve; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the check valve intermediate the impellers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring now to FIG. 1, the underwater breathing apparatus of the present invention, indicated by reference character 10, comprises a mouthpiece or face mask 12, intake and exhaust lines 14, 16, flotation member 18 and impeller unit 20.

The face mask 12 is made from rubber or other similar flexible materials commonly used in submarine face masks and is shaped to conform to the wearer's face with the resilient edges of the face mask making a fluid and air-tight seal with the face when the mask is in position. The face mask is provided with a window'22, a conventional retaining band (not shown) and is designed to cover substantially the whole face of the diver. However, it is also contemplated that the mask can be formed so as to just cover the nose and mouth of the wearer thereby eliminating the need for a window or that a mouthpiece can be substituted for the face mask similar in construction to the mouthpiece disclosed in my copending application Serial No.

purging the ex- 611,915, entitled Breathing Apparatus For Shallow Water and filed on January 26, 1967, now abandoned.

The face mask is provided with a rigid, cylindrical intake sleeve 24 and a rigid, cylindrical exhaust sleeve 26 which are integral with or mounted in the sidewalls of the mask. The sleeves which extend through and outwardly beyond the sidewalls of the mask, are formed from rubber, plastic or other similar materials. Intake sleeve 24 is provided with a check valve 28 which is retained inthe intake sleeve by internal annular keepers 30, 32 formed integral with the sleeve. The internal diameter of outer keeper 30 is less than the internal diameter of inner keeper 32. With this construction, the check valve 28 which, in the preferred form, is a circular resilient 1 member having a diameter somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of intake sleeve 24 and greater than the internal diameters of annular keepers 30, 32, can be snapped into mally maintaining the flap in contact with the keeper to prevent any back flow of air. Since the internal diameter of keeper 32 is larger than the diameter of flap 34, the flap can pivot past this keeper thereby permitting the valve to open when the diver inhales and close when the diver exhales.

The exhaust sleeve 26 can be provided with a similar check valve 38 and annular keepers 40, 42. In the exhaust sleeve, the inner keeper 40 has a smaller internal diameter than the outer keeper 42 with the check valve being installed by snapping the check valve past the outer keeper. In the exhaust sleeve, the inner keeper 40 co-operates with the flap 44 of the check valve forming the backing element or valve seat with the resilience of the flap 44 norrnally maintaining the flap in contact with the inner keeper'40 sealing off the exhaust line 16. Due to the greater internal diameter of the outer keeper, the flap44 of the check valve 38 can pivot past the outer keeper thereby permitting the valve to open when air is being exhausted from the mask while the flap and inner keeper prevent any back flow of air from the exhaust line 16 into the mask.

Since pressurized air is supplied from the intake line 14 when the diver inhales, the check valve 38 in the exhaust line 16 can be dispensed with in some instances. With the pressurized air flowing in from the intake line 14 as the diver inhales, the back flow of air from the exhaust line is non-existent or at least minimized.

Intake and exhaust lines 14 and 16 are made of rubber, plastic or other similar materials. In the preferred form, the intake and exhaust lines are equal in length with the length of the lines varying according to the maximum depth of descent desired (a depth of approximately 25 feet being within the range of depths to which a diver can descend using the apparatus of the present invention). The lower terminal portions of the intake and exhaust lines are maintained on the intake and exhaust sleeves 24, 26 of the mask with annular ribs 46 on the intake and exhaust sleeves helping to provide a seal between the lines and the intake and exhaust sleeves. Inaddition, if desired, conventional hose clamps can be used to further secure and seal the terminal portions of the intake and exhaust lines to the respective sleeves.

The upper portions of the intake and exhaust lines l4, 16 are each provided with air screen elements 48, 50 to prevent foreign matter from entering the intake and exhaust lines. As shown, the air screen elements are mounted on the upper portions of the intake and exhaust lines by means of complemen- As shown, the flotation member 18 is hollow. spherical and comprises hemispheres 52 joined by a band 53 which is channel-shaped in cross sectionfThe hemispheres are each provided with annular flanges 54, 56 which are brought into sealing, fluid-tight, engagement by band 53 when the free ends of the band are drawn together by the screw and wing nut assembly 58. With this construction, the flotation member 18 can be taken apart and reassembled for the purpose of replacing a power source such as a battery 60 which is schematically shown housed within the flotation member. While a spherical flotation member is illustrated, it is to be understood that the flotation member 18 can have an annular configuration or any other suitable configuration desired.

The flotation member is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed clamping elements 62 that grip the outer surfaces of the intake and exhaust lines 14, 16. The clamps 62 each comprise two semicircular elements extending outwardly from cylindrical extensions of the flotation member 18 and having lugs 64 at their spaced-apart free ends. Screws and wing nut assemblies are provided which pass through the lugs, drawing them together and causing the clamp to firmly grip the intake and exhaust lines.

While the intake and exhaust'lines 14, 16 are flexible to a certain degree, as shown in FIG. 1, the lines are sufficiently rigid to form a straight sleeve portion in the area adjacent the clamping elements 62. This construction provides a sleeve for housing the impeller unit and also insures that the free ends of the lines will extend well above the surface of the water to prevent the intake of water through either the intake or exhaust line. When it is desired to use more flexible lines, rigid sleeves of plastic or the like can be substituted for the upper ends of the lines with the upper ends of the intake and exhaust lines being secured to the rigid sleeves in the same manner that the lower ends of the lines are secured to sleeves 24, 26.

In the preferred form, a small, conventional, high-speed DC. motor 66 is carried within the inlet line on a plurality of spokes which extend between and are secured to the motor housing and the interior surface of the intake line. Of course, the motor mounting is not restricted to this particular form and other suitable mountings can be used. The motor utilized preferably has sealed bearings thereby eliminating the need to lubricate the motor and the need for an air purifying filter since the air does not pass over any mechanical device having exposed lubricant. The axis of the motor rotor 68 coincides with the longitudinal axis of the intake line with the rotor extending outwardly beyond both ends of the motor 66 and having impellers 70, 72 mounted on the free ends of the rotor.

The cylindrical impellers 70, 72 which are diagrammatically represented in FIG. I, have spiral-shaped, helical-shaped or other types of conventional blades. The first impeller 70 draws air in from the atmosphere increasing the pressure from P atmospheric to P and pushes the air toward the second impeller. The second impeller 72, which has a greater blade pitch than impeller 70, draws in the air exhausted from the first impeller 70 and further increases the pressure from P to P The pressures P, and P can be varied as necessitated by the maximum depth for which the particular apparatus is designed. The regulation of the pressures is accomplished by the impeller pitch of the two impellers and the speed of the motor. As with the choice of the motor the particular type and design of the impellers can be any one of numerous impellers commercially available.

As shown in FIG. 1, the power source 60 for the motor 66 is housed within flotation member 18. The power lines 76 from the power source 60 to the motor 66 pass through one of the hollow cylindrical extensions of the flotation member and apertures in the sidewall of intake line 14 and the flotation member 18. To prevent any leakage of water into the intake line or the flotation member through the apertures in the sidewalls, a seal is formed between the power lines 76 and the apertures (e.g., applying a plastic sealant to the power lines and sidewalls of the apertures). In addition, an "on-off" switch 78 can be provided in one of the extensions of the flotation member whereby the motor can be turned off when not in use.

While it is shown in the flotation member 18, the power source 60 can be situated in a boat, on a dock or in other convenient locations. Since the energy supply of the motor is small, the power lines extending from the source to the motor are small and light in weight. Therefore, the power lines can extend hundreds of feet giving the diver great freedom of movement.

The intake line is provided with a first check valve 80 intermediate the free end of the intake line and the first impeller 70. As shown, the check valve comprises a rigid annular member 82 which is integral with or secured to the interior sidewall of the intake line. A resilient disc-shaped flap 84 is secured to the underside of the annular member at one point adjacent its periphery whereby pivotal movement of the flap relative to the annular member allows air to be drawn from the atmosphere into the intake line but prevents any back flow of air from the intake line to the atmosphere.

In addition, a second check valve 86 is provided intermediate the first impeller 70 and the second impeller 72. As shown in FIG. 3, the second check valve 86 comprises an annular member 88 with a diametrically extending bridge 90 having a boss therein through which the rotor of the motor 66 passes. The resilient disc-shaped flap 92 is secured to the underside of the annular member 88 with the flap being secured along a diametric line to the bridge 90 of the annular member by rivet fasteners thereby permitting pivotal movement of both sides 94, 96 of the flap 92 relative to the annular member 88 which serves as the valve seat. In this manner, air can pass from the upper chamber 98 of the intake line to the lower chamber 100 through apertures 94 and 96. However, any back flow of air from the lower chamber to the upper chamber is prevented.

While the upper portion of intake line 14 is shown as being made from one piece. to facilitate the insertion and mounting of the motor and check valves within the intake line 14, the upper portion of intake line 14 can be formed from tubular sections which are fused or otherwise suitably secured together after the motor and check valves have been placed therein. In addition, other modifications and equivalents not set forth in the specification can be resorted to which would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Iclaim:

. 1. An underwater breathing apparatus for shallow depths comprising:

air intake and exhaust means to be worn by a diver;

flexible air intake tube means connected to said air intake and exhaust means;

flexible air exhaust tube means connected to said air intake and exhaust means;

flotation means for supporting free ends of said flexible air intake and exhaust tube means above the surface of the water; first impeller means within said flexible air intake tube means for drawing air from the atmosphere into said tube and increasing the pressure of said air; I

second impeller means within said flexible air intake tube means for further increasing the pressure of said air drawn into said flexible air intake tube means by said first impeller means; said second impeller means having in greater pitch than said first impeller means; V

first check valve means within said flexible air intake means, said first check valve means intermediate said first impeller means and said free end of said flexible air intake tube means for preventing any back flow of air;

second check valve means within said flexible air intake hose means, said second check valve means intermediate said first and second impeller means for dividing said flexible air intake tube means into first and second chambers and for preventing any back flow or air; and

electric motor drive means within said flexible air intake tube for driving said first and second impeller means, said said air intake and exhaust means being a face mask. electric motor being powered by a power source housed 3. in the underwater breathing apparatus of claim 1:

within said flotation means. said air intake and exhaust means being a mouthpiece.

2. in the underwater breathing apparatus of claim 1: 

